I've had a sitar for about 12 years, but I don't know if I would call myself a "player". It is such a cool instrument to play, but my sitar is not very good, and tuning the 19 strings is a nightmare. I've studied Indian music over the years, and took a few lessons from an Indian musician, but I rarely play it anymore.

As I understand, there are three types of strings on a sitar: the melody strings, the drones, and the sympathetic strings. Most of the melody is played on one string, with the drone strings tuned to the raga you are playing. You almost never touch the sympathetic strings.

Gruffpuppy, I also have an oud, which is used in Turkish music. It is a short-necked fretless lute, but again I am cursed with a cheap POS instrument. The bridge pulled up and the back has a deep crack, but it is also fun to play.

I d really like to learn. For soem reason im interested in these unique instruments. Speaking of which I saw an instrument that looked like a sitar except it was huge and had a really large,long neck. Do any of you guys know what im talking about? It looked really cool.

I don't play the sitar, but I once had a go of one. I was in a studio, when I noticed the sitar tucked away in the corner of the control room. I got talking to the producer, and although it was owned by a friend of his, he let me have a little mess with it.

Apparently, the majority of sitars in the world are fakes - there are only a handful of "real" ones, which are handed down from generation to generation in wealthy Indian families. Does anyone know if this is true?

Originally posted by Spearhead I d really like to learn. For soem reason im interested in these unique instruments. Speaking of which I saw an instrument that looked like a sitar except it was huge and had a really large,long neck. Do any of you guys know what im talking about? It looked really cool.

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It might have been a Tambura. It's the instrument that plays the drone in indian music.